Third Coast Training Center Classes

Comprised of teachers who have lived, performed, and taught comedy all over the country the Third Coast Training Center exists to cultivate well-rounded, highly-trained performers in the areas of improv, sketch, and stand-up.

2019 Class Calendar

Session 1	01/06 - 03/03
Session 2	03/17 - 05/11
Session 3	05/26 - 07/20
Session 4	08/04 - 09/28
Session 5	10/13 - 12/7

To be notified of the new schedule please sign-up for our mailing list below.

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Overview

• Unless otherwise noted all courses cost $199 total and consist of 8, 3-hour classes that meet weekly
• There is a showcase for Level 2, Level 4, and Intro to Stand-up; there is a show run for Level 6 and Musical Improv 2
• Missing more than two classes means you may be asked to repeat the level
  • If you can’t avoid missing class and another is available on a different day of the week a student can excuse an absence by making up the missed class
• Level 1 is required unless you have recently graduated from a formal training program; if you have questions please email the training center
• Third Coast is a safe, creative, and collaborative environment; any behavior to the contrary will be dealt with immediately; if you need to make a report use our Anonymous Reporting Form here

If you have any questions please email the training center or call (615) 745-1009 for more information.

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We respect your inbox!
Classes goes out a few times each session;
Shows and News roughly once a week.

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Improvisation: Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | Level 6 | High School Improv | Musical Improv 1 | Musical Improv 2 | Shortform Improv

Stand-up: Intro

 

Improv

Level 1: Intro to improvisation
Prerequisite: No experience necessary

No experience is necessary to learn the foundational ideas of listening, agreement, and shared construction that make improvisation so much fun to watch and perform.

 

• Session 2 details coming soon. Please sign up for the mailing list to be notified.

 

Level 2: Scenework
Prerequisite: Level 1 or commiserate experience

Deep dive into character work, scene mechanics, and in particular, acting. Grounded, well-acted scene work provides the context for finding, exploring, and heightening patterns.

 

• Session 2 details coming soon. Please sign up for the mailing list to be notified.

 

Level 3: Ensemble
Prerequisite: Level 2

Once the basics are introduced we’ll want to move into group play as it’s part of what makes improvisation so electric. Give and take, balance, tempo, repetition, the discovery and constant unfurling of the moment; the stuff that might very well take you out of your comfort zone (which is ok).

 

• Session 2 details coming soon. Please sign up for the mailing list to be notified.

 

Level 4: Harold
Prerequisite: Level 3

Harold is widely considered a crown jewel of long form improvisation. It weaves together all of the skills a long form improviser acquires during their training and manages to be both strikingly simple and complex.

 

• Session 2 details coming soon. Please sign up for the mailing list to be notified.

 

Level 5: Forms
Prerequisite: Level 4

The forms studied will incorporate all aspects of the training so far, in particular themes, patterns, and group work.

 

• Session 2 details coming soon. Please sign up for the mailing list to be notified.

 

Level 6: Harold Performance
Prerequisite: Level 5 + instructor recommendation

Part workshop, part performance this class effectively runs for 14 weeks. The first 8 are classes devoted to advanced Harold while the last 6 are performances in front of your friends, family, and strangers.

 

• Session 2 details coming soon. Please sign up for the mailing list to be notified.

 

High School Improv
Prerequisite: Must be a high school student

Each Semester, Third Coast Comedy Club puts together a team of high school players assembled from all over greater Metro Nashville to perform in two shows at a professional comedy club! The group meets for eight practices in a fun, supportive environment. The class utilizes theatre games, scene work, and group exercises to teach the fundamentals of improvisational acting. Students learn to listen closely, create characters, build scenes, and invent stories while working as a team. Beyond comedic applications, students are taught to relax and react on stage, develop more positive, open frames of mind, and strengthen leadership and communication skills.

 

• Saturdays, w/Scott @ 12pm, 1/26 - 3/2
• ⚠️ Cost: $175
• ⚠️ This is a 6-week class
• ⚠️ Showcase is Saturday, 3/2 @ 2pm

 

Musical Improv 1
Prerequisite: Level 3 + instructor recommendation

Designed to raise the student’s comfort level while performing improvised songs. Emphasis is on phrasing, song structure, heightened emotional commitment, background support, and song styles.

 

• Session 2 details coming soon. Please sign up for the mailing list to be notified.

 

Musical Improv 2
Prerequisite: Musical Improv 1 + instructor recommendation

By invitation only. The entire 8 weeks will be dedicated to learning how to improvise a full one act musical. Emphasis is on the structural elements of musical theater as well as functions and placement of specific song types within a musical. Upon the conclusion of the 8 weeks, the class will mount a weekly or bi-weekly production on the Third Coast Comedy Club stage.

 

• Session 2 details coming soon. Please sign up for the mailing list to be notified.

 

Shortform Improv
Prerequisite: Level 2

Students will explore the world of shortform improv, well-defined games that provide a structure to improvise within. Scenic, narrative, timed-based, guessing, the list goes on. Shortform builds on the fundamentals learned and helps in honing specific skills. Always a crowd-pleaser this level will include a showcase.

 

• Session 2 details coming soon. Please sign up for the mailing list to be notified.

 

Stand-up

Intro to stand-up
Prerequisite: No experience necessary

Ever wanted to learn what it takes to work out your original ideas and turn them into a polished stand-up set? This class will teach you the basics and structure to develop your ideas into stand-up content, performance styles and technique, finding your voice on stage, and more! The class consists of regularly performing your written material with the goal of refinement through constructive feedback.

 

• Session 2 details coming soon. Please sign up for the mailing list to be notified.